The Fine Lines of Friendship
by TheChanger
Summary: Haven't you ever wondered what kind of friendship Kid and Maka actually have? Ever wanted to know more about Kid or Maka? Ever wondered where it might go? Well here's your chance to find out! Doubleshot. Rated T for bad words here and there.
1. Maka

**This is just a little idea I came up with upon noticing that there is little to no information on the friendship between Maka and Kid. It's a two shot, one all about Maka and the other all about Kid, cause both are going to be seriously long. Quick warning btw, these are going up raw, so I'll try and get them edited as soon as possible. I'm just tired and so glad to actually have something completed for once...**

**As you'll find, I establish with details –some subtle, some not– the exact extend to how close these two currently are based on the manga and the anime in my own opinion, but I leave it up to you to decide where this goes. I want everyone to note, however, that there is NO romance involved here, just an idea of what kind of relationship these two might have since it's not yet officially established and probably won't be greatly touched on (like the subject of Maka's mother). However, I've put in tiny implications that such a thing could happen later on as they grow closer, just as it could with any of the other characters, so I encourage all readers to take this in any direction you want.**

**I don't care if you want to work your own story off of this, all I would ask is that you just remember to give credit where it's due. It's mainly just for fun anyway, so please enjoy :3, and if it gets confusing for you, please don't be afraid to ask and I'll answer all of you in the review section. Or send me a personal pm and I'll answer back. Either way, I'll answer any and everything as long as it's nothing rude or stupid. No offense to you, but if it's obvious, why ask?**

**One last request! If you hate it, then DON'T READ IT. I'm talking to you, trolls and idiots. Stay off my god damn lawn or you will regret it. Everyone else can leave helpful critiques if they like. I appreciate suggestions and advice where its due. I'm here to improve my skills after all.**

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><p><strong>Part 1<strong>

Was I seeing right?

It looked like Death the Kid was standing right inside my doorway all alone... but why? He never came over by himself.

There was a good reason for that though. Patty and Liz usually kept him straight when he had a symmetry tantrum. There was just no one else who could do so. It was kind of the same reason I always took Soul with me everywhere, except that for us it was because we couldn't fight alone. The dependency had the same principle if not the situation.

So why was he here?

"Kid, hey!" I greeted him, allowing him to step inside, but I think my apprehension was plain as day. "I wasn't expecting you. Is something up?"

Dammit, he should have called me. I always made serious preparations whenever I was expecting him because I didn't want to give him a symmetry heart attack and make everyone else's day miserable as a result. That and he was from a prestigious family. His blood was even nobler than Soul's was. I was always afraid that if the place wasn't immaculate, he'd be offended in some way or find me sloppy or lazy. Why, Kid? Why must you do this to me?

"Nah, just thought it would be nice to hang out." He replied, taking off his shoes at the door.

"Hang out?" I repeated. Well that was new. So he just wanted to chill at my place just the two of us? Since when?

Let it never be said that we were not good friends, but even so, it was more of a casual friendship than anything. We were battle buddies, classmates, just acquaintances learned of through an awkward incident with our partners, nothing more than that. We were good friends because after the fight Soul and Black*Star had picked with him, Tsubaki and I went to apologize as their partners and things just blossomed for everyone from there. Despite that, however, our only common ground was our soul perception. Otherwise, we never really had any reason to be close. Hell, he had more of an attachment to Soul than to me. So, again, why was he here? Was there something I was missing?

He turned to me with a raised brow and an almost knowing smirk that told me hiding my anxiety was in vain. "Yeah. What, is that not allowed? Or are you just worried because I came over unexpectedly and you haven't had a chance to clean up?"

What, was he inside my head now? "What makes you say that?"

"Oh, I don't know, the way your soul is pulsing with nervousness? It always does that when you feel like a bad hostess." Ah, the beauty of being able to read souls. God dammit. I openly sighed in defeat at being found out so easily and his smirk widened. "Don't sweat it, Maka, its fine. You're a neat freak. This place is always exceptionally neat and tidy whether you're expecting guests or not."

I narrowed my eyes. "You'd better not be just saying that or so help me, shinigami or not, I will Maka Chop you square in the balls."

He laughed, knowing full well that I would do it as I have done to Black*Star in the past when he pissed me off enough, but also that I was joking about it in that context. "Trust me. I may come from a ridiculously wealthy family, but my passion is not cleanliness, its symmetry."

I smiled back and headed into the living area. "Hence the reason you should always call before you come over." I know he just said it was fine, but the kitchen was a bit of a mess and I didn't want him to know that. That was the role of a good hostess.

I heard him chuckle as I showed him where he could make himself comfortable. "Its _fine_, Maka, really. You don't need to go to such lengths just to impress me. We are friends after all; it's not going to bug me if the place isn't completely spotless and perfect. Besides, if Soul can live with it this well, I think I can too."

I scoffed at that. "Don't you butter me up. You and Soul are not even remotely the same in that regard."

"Oh, you think so?"

"I think I _know_ so. Soul may have been born swimming in wealth, but your family is like THE national treasure. Individually from your father, you have way more money than his family can even dream of. I can only take wild imaginary guesses in the dark at the unfathomable financial state of your family's bank account as a whole."

"Whatever you say, then." He chuckled casually as though my guess was entirely wrong, but I'm pretty damn sure I'm right that he's the richest kid in the entire universe. His gaze darted around at the new arrangement of the dormitory and my brain was screaming at me to just make the damn preparations whether he was here or not before he went batshit crazy on me, but another part of me was telling my brain to shut the hell up and follow the guidelines of a good hostess or else risk having him go batshit crazy on me anyway. "Speaking of Soul, where is he? Blair, too. Are you alone?"

"For the time being." I replied, watching him sit down on the sofa. "Blair is out doing whatever a cat does and Soul's at the school serving his detention time for being an idiot in class if you recall."

"Oh that's right. He and Black*Star... they certainly make an... interesting team, don't they?"

"That's for sure." I shook my head, not even bothering to conceal my annoyance at the scandal they had made. Then I remembered my role and turned to look at him with a polite gaze. "Can I get you anything? I bought a new brand of tea yesterday, or I can make something."

"No need, I'm fine as I am now. Sit with me. Unless you're in the middle of something, that is."

Well, I kind of was, but letting a guest over, even if they were just a friend, and having them know you're doing dishes when it wasn't because of something you made them... just didn't sit right with me. So, for lack of a better reply, I plopped down on the chair across from him. "So... what's up?" Wow. So this is how we actually were? I never knew just how weird being alone with him would be. Usually our weapons, at least, were present, but this time it was just the meisters, just the two of us. I don't know about him, but it made things... kind of awkward on my end. Guess I really didn't know him as well as I thought I did. "Why aren't Patty and Liz with you?"

His smile dropped and he looked away with what looked to me like a lonely expression. "They're off shopping with Kim, Jacqueline, and few other girls. Said it was a woman's day out thing and guys weren't allowed or something to that effect. Things... got too quiet in the mansion, so I thought I'd pay someone a visit since I wasn't busy."

Then why the hell did you come here? I didn't need some rich boy in my dorm to entertain for the afternoon. "You thought to visit me instead of Black*Star first? You guys are close, aren't you?"

"We are, but Black*Star and Tsubaki are... well busy."

I raised a brow. What the hell did that mean? "Busy as in training?" He'd better not be implying other non-normal activities for those two or I would have to kick the Black Demon in the balls and berate Tsubaki for not telling me later.

"Yeah, some weird new training exercise they were trying out that involved attempting to rip trees from the ground..." From his face I could tell this confused him as much as it did me.

I sighed quietly in relief. Tsubaki was my best friend. She wouldn't just _not_ tell me if she had feelings for someone. Right? "Soooooooooo, I'm basically your last resort?"

He flinched a little as I said it and knew he was about to feed me bullshit to attempt to make up for it. "No... my last resort would have been hanging out with Stein at the school."

Of course, Kid, of course. Your mouth said one thing but the fact that your looking away from me guiltily says another. Guess he didn't know me that well either. Not that I can't imagine why, seeing as we've never been close before so I have no reason to be resentful, but still. That hurts.

I stared back at him skeptically, but I didn't want to snap at him. Control was my motto. So I played it off like I wasn't as resentful as I felt. "That's one serious last resort, Kid. Still, though, what exactly are you expecting to happen here with me? A study party like the one that failed last week?"

I think he knew that I could see right through him without even looking at his soul, but he continued to play along anyway. "No... since that was my fault, it's probably better to steer clear of another incident, not that I wouldn't help you if you were having trouble with something though. I just thought... since we don't really know much about each other... that this was a good opportunity to learn."

Ok, wasn't expecting that. I was genuinely surprised. He wanted to get to know me better? Was the world coming to an end? "So you basically just came over to play twenty questions about our lives?"

He grinned sheepishly. "I guess I did."

Really? Hm... I usually made it a point not to glance at the souls of those I was close to because I wanted to be able to read them without looking. In this case, I broke that rule and decided to peek, only to find myself even more surprised. He genuinely noticed that there was almost nothing between us but a casual friendship, and he wanted to deepen it. Hm... should I stay resentful or not?

Alright, I'll admit it. I was kind of flattered by that. Ok, maybe a lot. Too bad it took him this long, but guys were slow like that, and since he saw the gap between us for what it was I'll let it slide. It would be nice to finally get to know him a little more anyway.

I smiled at him and let myself fully relax into my chair. "Alright, I'm game." He smiled back at me, but before he could reply, we heard the timer go off in the kitchen and I realized I was still cooking dinner. "But first, let me finish the dishes and the food."

Now that things were out in the open, I could let him follow me into the kitchen without feeling uneasy, which was something I could usually only do with those people that I felt the most comfortable with, like Soul, Blair, or Tsubaki. If we're going to get to know each other better, might as well let him see how the hostess does things around the house.

"Can I help with anything?" He asked after watching me for a few seconds. It almost sounded like he was as unsure about us being alone together as I was. If we were close like I was with Black*Star, Tsubaki, or even Soul, he would have probably immediately went straight for the dishes and let me handle the food. However, I suspect he was too used to having maids do things like that for him.

I had to smile. At least he was offering, but I _really_ didn't want to deal with a symmetry tantrum by myself. "You don't have to. I'm almost done anyways."

Dinner was already done, so all I had to worry about was the dessert and cleaning up the last pile of dishes. Putting on a pair of oven mits, I pulled out the dessert that just finished baking in the oven and carefully laid it out over the stove. I closed the oven door and turned it off, and then put the mits back on and grabbed the pan again, only to realize that my hands were full. Oh dear.

"Open the fridge for me?" Sure, I could have just set the pan down and opened it for myself, but why not make use of an offer to help? I didn't want him to stand there and feel like he wasn't needed or welcome.

He didn't hesitate. He turned and grabbed the refrigerator door, holding it open so that I could set the pan in the spot I'd designated for it beforehand. "What is that? It looks awesome."

"My mother's special sugar cookie recipe." I smiled at them fondly. "I always make it on Sundays. And the round steak vegie burgers are Soul's personal request for today." Standing up, I moved over to the sink and grabbed the sponge and the closest dish.

"So Soul likes steak, does he?" Kid followed me again.

"Well, it's not his favorite, but he seems to like how I make it. I don't know why. Tsubaki's cooking is so much better than mine."

"Your cooking is just fine, Maka, Tsubaki's just got more experience on you. We all enjoy whatever the two of you make, especially if you made it together."

"Pft, you're so sweet." I've never had someone compliment me and then put it like that. It made it sound less like flattery, which was easier to appreciate. Oh who am I kidding? I'm so easily flattered it's ridiculous! And of course people have said it like that before, but admittedly I liked it when they put it that way. "To be honest, I think he just likes eating round steak because of our inside joke."

"What inside joke?"

I put the dish in the drainer and paused, letting out a little chuckle as the thought of that joke filled my head. "It's terrible... but you know round steak comes from the backside of the cow, right?"

He shrugged. "Sure, everyone knows that."

"No, not everyone," I said as I grabbed another dish, "Soul didn't."

"That's surprising."

"Not really. If I'm an idiot when it comes to music, then Soul is naïve when it comes to food. He can cook, but only because Tsubaki and I taught him everything his skills in the kitchen will allow."

"So he does cook then?"

"Yep, we cook in turns."

"I'm curious, then. Have you ever tried to teach Black*Star?"

Now there was a disaster that I didn't ever want to think about again. "Oh god, don't get me started. That dumbshit can't cook if his life depended on it. Here we are, trying to show him how to make a simple stir fry, and he's pouring fucking soap in it because he thinks its honey and he can't read Kanji labels! So poor Tsubaki has to do all the work in their dorm."

He chuckled next to me as he watched the dishes pile up in the drainer. "I figured that was the case. Typical Black*Star."

I saw his desire to help and felt kind of bad for trying to leave him out. But no, I can't cave. I don't want to unleash the symmetry monster in my dorm. But even as I tried to convince myself of this, I felt the sympathy card slowly playing my heart. _Don't cave, don't cave, you don't want to deal with a catastrophe, don't give in..._ "You can dry them and put them away if you want." Oh fuck me in a mote with the alligators. Well, might as well make use of him.

At first he looked excited to be of use, but then he looked lost as he stared at the pile up. I don't know if Liz or Patty even knew how to do dishes or if he was ever taught, but maybe it was time he learned. If he broke anything, I could easily just have Blair repair it with magic.

So I pointed out the dish towel to him, told him to dry each dish completely or it would mold in the cupboard and I'd have to have Blair work her magic to repair it, and then showed him where everything went. He got it fairly quickly, probably because of his symmetrical habits, which I was pleased with. I love it when people are easy to teach. Maybe he'd be more useful around the dorm than Soul was. I just hoped his symmetry obsession wouldn't get in the way. I could already see him organizing things as he went and frowned, but I'd worry about it later. It was better than Black*Star's unholy methods that broke every dish in he touched.

"Ok, so where were you going with the round steak thing again?" He said once he fell into the rhythm with me.

"Oh right!" I exclaimed as it filled my head again and I went on with a smile brightening my face again. "Well, I made round steak one night a few days after we first met and as we were eating, suddenly he goes 'This doesn't taste like regular steak, what is this?' and I said 'It's like any other steak, taste and texture. Why?' He's all 'Can't be, it doesn't taste the same!' and I said 'You do know that you can make steak from different parts of a cow, right?' And he goes 'You can...?' I was like 'Yes, Soul, you can.' And he was all like 'Oh... so then what part is this made from?' 'The backside.' And I swear his pupils dilated in disgust and he was like 'You mean I'm eating cow ass?' I almost had a nose spray, 'Ass cheek, to be precise.' I said. He goes all quiet and for a minute I thought he was gonna throw his plate at me, but then he says '...Huh... never knew ass cheek could taste so good.' And he proceeds to keep eating it. So now, he calls round steak cow ass cheek. 'Let's eat some ass cheek!' 'Here, have some ass cheek!'"

He shook his head and chuckled. "Too funny. Never knew ass cheek could taste so good... that has a terrible double meaning to it."

"Oh, that's only half of it. The next night I made those burgers for the first time, he asked me what it was made of and when I told him, do you wanna know what he said to me?"

"What?"

"Look! I have Assburgers!"

He almost dropped the dish in his hands as he burst out laughing. "That _is_ terrible!"

"That's Soul for you." I grinned as I watched him try to catch his breath and finished the last of the dishes in the sink.

It took him a good minute and he was still smiling afterwards, but he eventually calmed down enough to finish the task I'd given him. "And may I say that you imitate him a little too well."

"Well I do live and fight with the guy. I'd be worried if I couldn't." I said as I cleaned and dried the counter off.

"True." And then we fell into concentration, just trying to get the task done.

There wasn't a lot to do, but after we had finished he continued to go through all of the kitchen cupboards and organize things to his liking. He even busted out the measuring tape and a ruler and a couple other things I didn't know he was stashing away. Seriously, Kid? Did you have to? Of course you did. What a stupid question.

This was what I had wanted to avoid. If I tried to stop him now, it would haunt him, and then I would have to try to sleep with the fear that when I woke up the next day I would find the entire dorm room rearranged. Even now, I would have to worry that if I tried to put things back to my liking, he would check every day and organize it all again. The only thing I could do was standby quietly and watch until he was done, hoping he wouldn't continue on to other parts of the room. What a nightmare.

Man, I really didn't want to deal with this... At least he was careful not to break anything. I'd rather have someone with careful hands go through my things than someone who was too impatient to take their time.

Once he was done with the kitchen, he stood back to admire his handiwork and he let out a sigh of contentment like he'd just built a great Egyptian monument. "A job well done! Feels good, it really does!" Kid, I shudder to think of what you consider a job well done. Now please don't move on to the other parts of the room. He turned to me, his face almost glowing with pride in his work, saw the trepidation in my own face, and then his ear-to-ear grin faded. "What? Oh no, did I miss a spot?" Immediately he checked everything five times over, measured it four times in six different ways even, only to find no mistake in his work. "Hm, I don't see anything out of place..."

I slapped my forehead in exasperation. "Kid... Please, _please_ tell me you're not going to come over every day and check my whole house now..."

"Perfect symmetry is the greatest thing in the world, Maka!" I heard him chirp so cheerfully it made my stomach plunge. "You can't deny that your kitchen looks so much better for it now!"

I groaned and proceeded to check everything myself, just to make sure nothing got lost. To my amazement, everything was in perfect order, all in plain sight, and nothing out of place. I guess it was a good thing he didn't know much about kitchens. Everything was exactly where I told him it should be, except now it was perfectly organized. Shit, I could pay him for this.

Sighing, I turned to him, reluctant to admit it, but as long as it was all within the confines of how I wanted it, I guess I couldn't complain. "Well... it is kinda nice to have everything so organized for once..."

He grabbed me around the shoulders with one arm and as he gestured to the entire area, I noticed the blush of excitement from his work. Oh Jesus, what have I done? "You see? Symmetry is everything!"

Well I wouldn't go that far, but why destroy his happy little world? I'll admit it, he's kind of cute like this, but I'm still deeply annoyed. "Right..." I need to distract him now before he got to the rest of my dorm and things got way out of hand. I left his arm and went to grab from the fridge a plate of assorted dips and cheeses and other things for a box of crackers that Tsubaki and I had made a few days ago, then turned to him, hoping the food would keep his attention. "Come on, we have a deep conversation to get to, so let's go sit back down. Since you know what's in my kitchen now, you can grab whatever you want to drink."

I turned to go set the plate down in the living area, listening to him take as he pleased and organize as he went, and I shook my head in dismay. I'm pretty sure I've released the monster into my dorm. Lovely.

I left the plate and returned to the kitchen to grab a glass of iced raspberry tea for myself, hoping I wasn't going to find him trying to make the rest of the dormitory into more of his idea of perfection, and saw him with a plastic cup of Soul's favorite orange-peach flavored sunny delight. Huh, so he liked that kind of thing too? Or maybe he was just taking what looked best since we didn't have a whole lot in the beverage options department right now. Hope Soul won't mind...

"Hey, Maka," He said thoughtfully, taking a sip as he lingered in the hallway and waited for me to walk back with him, "I have a feeling I know more about you than you do about me. Wanna take the first round of questions?"

I looked at him curiously, knowing that he was probably right, and turned back to pour the tea and think about what I should ask. Truth be told, there was a lot I wanted to know, but only so many questions could be asked and answered at a time. Maybe I should hold off for now. If he already knew as much about me as he claimed, then his questionnaire should be relatively short and it would give me time to think about mine. "Nah, you go first. It might take too long to get to me if we start with you, so ask away now before you forget."

A comfortable silence fell between us as he thought about it. I returned to my seat and took a long sip of my tea as though it would make the fear of watching my dorm fall to the symmetry beast go away. Gasping as I came back, I reached into a cabinet to fish out the crackers and organize them onto the plate with the assortments and realized that he hadn't sat down yet. What was he doing?

Looking up, I saw him gazing at the photos on the mantel, and instantly my mind panicked. '_Please don't organize them, please don't organize them, please...'_ If he did that, there was no hope of keeping the rest of my dorm safe. But as I stared and mentally pleaded with him, after a moment I realized that he wasn't going to. One of those photos in particular had caught his eye. The perfect distraction.

He gingerly grasped it in his fingers and brought it closer, handling it with great care, soaking in the image with a gentle expression I don't think I've ever seen him with before. "Is this your family?" His tone was soft as he asked, recognizing it for the precious memory it was.

I knew which picture he was looking at before I even got up to look. It was the family portrait of me, my parents, and an extra member we adopted later on. "Yep. That's all of us. Me, Papa, Mama, and Sasha." I said as I came up behind him, resting an arm on his shoulder as I gazed with him. A toddler version of me sat in a much younger version of dad's lap and mom had her arms wrapped around a young teenage girl with reddish hair and cloudy odd colored eyes. All of us were dressed in casual semi-formal attire for the occasion, and we were smiling as though those were the happiest days of our lives.

His eyes instantly fell on mom first, and I knew why. We were practically identical. Her hair was the same color as mine but much longer, about waist length, usually in a neat braid, and it had a natural wave and curl to it that I always envied. I may have inherited her color, but I got dad's texture. I had also inherited her eyes, but I'm told I look like my dad in the face. There was one thing that really bugged me even now, though…

"Wow, I can't get over how much you and your mom look alike. Although she's much more... uhm..."

I saw him trying to search for the right words and instantly regretting trying to mention it, and knew what he wanted to say. I sighed. "Big breasted? Yeah I know..." It was true. Mom had always been a very voluptuous woman, but I don't know what that meant for me, seeing as I had yet to inherit that part of the gene pool. Not that I was mortified, or anything. I didn't actually want to be quite that... oh, what's the word... busty?

His eyes widened as though he thought he'd implied something that insulted me. "I... I didn't mean..."

I shook my head and gave him a weak smile. "It's ok, I know. I just hope the genes will pass on one day. I would really hate to be flat chested for the rest of my life."

"That... that wasn't what I was going to say..." There was that blush again. I guess even for gods the topic of sex or anything implying it was ticklish. I wanted to tell him it was ok again, but he managed to beat me to it with something that surprised the heck out of me, although he looked a lot more sheepish about it. "Your only thirteen, I'm sure you'll grow into your body at some point..."

It's not something I haven't heard before, but I didn't get it often. It was usually people hoping for me out of pity, or people like Soul making fun of me for it. Even though he was totally out of his element, he somehow managed to make it sound genuine. Something about the fact that it was coming from him, someone I didn't know that well, made it... well, a lot more flattering.

I felt my smile growing as I watched him scan each face with interest, probably hoping to change the subject as fast as possible before he said something too awkward, and land on the unfamiliar face of the girl in mom's arms next. "I didn't know you had an older sister."

I stared down at the face of the young teenage girl and smiled fondly. "Well, not by blood. She used to babysit me all the time when I was small. She was always there when we needed her, and she spent more time with us than at her own home, so she quickly became a cherished part of the family."

I saw the look on his face fall. "...She abandoned her own family for you guys?"

My own smile fell as we met gazes and I had to look away. "...It... it wasn't like that... It was just... safer for her to be with us." It was still a little sore to talk about for me having just recently learned of it myself, but he deserved the best explanation I could give him.

"Safer...?" A single word and its profound and terrifying meaning past between us mentally: abuse. There was no need to say it even if we were complete strangers. We both just knew. "Is that how...?"

Once again, he didn't need to say it for me to understand. "Yes. That's why she's blind. Both of her parents have passed on, but... she's ok now." My smile finally returned as I thought of her most recent letter to me. "She's living very happily with her fiancé and his kid."

"That's good at least..." That seemed to help him rest easier too, because he returned the relieved smile as he placed the frame back on its place on the shelf. "So I take it she and her family are not in Death City?"

I saw him going to move in to organize my memory mantel and knew I had to stop him. No way in hell was I letting this monstrosity go beyond the kitchen. So I grabbed him by the arm as politely as I could and dragged him back into his seat on the sofa. "Nope! She's living in New Zealand right now. We exchange letters every two weeks or so. I tell her everything, including about you and the others, and I'm definitely gonna tell her all about you and me getting to know each other."

I'm not sure whether he was letting me lead him along or if I really was pulling his strings, but I was glad he didn't fight me. He just sat down and settled as I was hoping he would. Thank you, God...

"Is that so? Does that mean she knows about the incident where you asked Black*Star to punch you?" By the smirk on his face, I'd say he looked distracted. Good.

I grinned as I sat back down across from him and took another sip of my tea. "Of course she does. How could I not mention that? I even had Soul take a picture of the bruise as proof and sent it to her just so she could remind me of the stupidity of it. She knows all about that and a lot of other things, including things I don't tell other people, even Soul and Tsubaki."

His smile faded for a moment. "You haven't told her about anything classified or things that might bring harm to her and her family, have you?"

I raised a brow at him. "What, you doubt me? Of course not. I'm a star pupil DWMA student and Spartoi agent. She understands that what I do has its dangers and that I have to keep certain things from her. She deals with the same from Papa, too. She's not a nosy person. It's not a big deal for her to keep out of official business."

He breathed a sigh as though he'd been holding his breath. Come on, Kid, give me a little more credit. I know I've done stupid things before but I'm not _that_ naïve. "That's good, I'd hate to see anything happen to someone who's probably been through enough already. Has she said anything about me, by the way?"

I rolled my eyes in good humor. I knew he would ask that. "She's a little unsure about the symmetry problem and she hopes I won't catch it, but she says she thinks you'll be a good influence on me."

From the look on his face, I'd say he was happy to hear that. "I see, and have I been?"

"I think so," I shrugged, "At least you follow the rules more than Black*Star does. Keeps me from falling in behind that menace."

He laughed as he put his drink down and grabbed one of the treats off the plate. "Do you keep in contact with your mom too? The divorce was only a few months ago, right?"

"Of course! Well, it's more like she keeps in contact with me."

"What do you mean?"

I put my drink on the table as well and devoured one of the treats from the plate, sighing contentedly at the memory. "When Mama left, she decided it was time to fulfill her dream of seeing the world, and she immediately took the soonest plane to the nearest country over. She sends me postcards whenever she's done seeing a new place."

Kid just stared back at me with a rather confused look on his face. "She just... left? Was there no battle for custody or anything?"

"No need. Papa may have custody of me, but he doesn't control my life. I follow DWMA rules only." In other words, I was completely independent of him, and I knew how to take care of myself. I didn't need some perverted old man watching my back.

He continued to stare at me, his second treat paused in mid journey to his palette, watching me with curiosity in his amber gaze. "Hm... somehow I get the feeling Kami's rules are still enforced in this dorm room."

I giggled and grinned excitedly, probably a little more than necessary but I didn't care. I'm not so sure it's true, but oh how happy that comment made me. I know I looked like her, but to actually hear that I might be like her, my idol... It just made my heart flutter. I'm sure I'm blushing like crazy about it right now. I've been told this before, and it never fails to make me giddy with joy.

He smiled at my reaction to his comment. "And now I know how to make your day." The cracker disappeared into his mouth as I grabbed another one for myself, nodding at him vigorously.

"Never fails!" I munched happily. Suddenly I wasn't afraid of the symmetry monster anymore.

"Good to know." He grinned after swallowing. A thought seemed to flash across his face, a thought that he seemed reluctant to share, but he looked at me anyway, his face suddenly turning semi-serious. "I know it's probably a little soon to ask this, but... would you mind if I asked you a more personal question? It's been kind of bugging me for a while now."

My happy mood faltered a little at the ideas rushing through my head when he asked. "Uh, well, depends. What kind of question?"

"It's... about your father." He saw my face fall and his hands flew up defensively. "I'm sorry, never mind, I knew I shouldn't have asked."

I gazed at him for a second with indecisive eyes as he tried to save himself, thinking I would snap at him for even thinking about mentioning the old man, until finally curiosity won me over and I just had to know. I'm sure he meant no harm by it, whatever it was, and maybe he deserved an answer. "...What about him?"

His hands lowered at the tone of my voice and he gazed back at me, surprised that I would allow him to get anywhere near the subject when we were hardly close enough to be asking such things. Honestly, as far as the gap between us stretched, I felt sure enough of his intentions to trust him with it. With the curiosity in my gaze, I gave him the incentive to ask away. He looked hesitant at first, but eventually the desire to know got the best of him and he just tossed it out there on the table for me to look at: "Look, I know why you... dislike him, to put it mildly... but I have to wonder if those are your true feelings. Your soul suggests otherwise to me every time I check. So... do you really hate him or what?"

I sighed. I knew that was what he was going to ask, and it was a fair enough question. It was just... not an easy one to answer. I leaned back in my seat and fixed my gaze on the plate of crackers and dip, trying to think of an answer to give. Honestly, I'm not entirely sure of it myself yet, but perhaps it was time to put a reason to it. "Well... I suppose it's more like my respect for him is down the drain. He's just such a damn flirt, and it's infuriating. Mama always told him it upset her and he did it anyway, so instead of putting up with his shit, she rid herself of it. It's just... frustrating, and it feels like every guy I meet is a pig-headed, perverted, idiotic slob like that to some extent and I don't trust any of them. No offense, of course."

"None taken..." He looked as though he suddenly understood my entire personality for the first time, and I could see him observing my soul as I spoke, which helped explain it to him easier than with just words. The language of the soul was useful like that. "So you don't actually hate him."

"I..." I sighed again. Damn this was hard to admit. With everyone else like Soul, Blair, Tsubaki, and Black*Star, I'd never had to actually verbally admit it before. They just understood. Either that or they were like Kilik and Ox and they avoided ever asking like the plague. To put it into words... I don't know if it's the most difficult thing I've ever done, but it's up there with the best of them. I struggled just to find the right words before I settled for just saying it like it is. I don't know how well Kid could understand how I felt, but if I can trust him with my life in battle, I think I can manage trusting him with the truth of my soul. He could see it right now so there was no way I was lying to him anyway. "No. In my heart, I don't. He's my Papa, how can I hate him? I just... can't respect him anymore. Not after what he did to Mama."

He seemed to understand better than I thought he would. He nodded and relaxed in his seat, glad for the chance to finally understand the things that drove me forward and make me act the way I did. I'm sure my fear of his symmetry obsession was suddenly in the light right now for him in more ways than one. "But you picked a male partner. Did Soul just make you feel like you could trust him more than any other man you've ever met?"

I was finally able to meet his gaze again, relieved beyond words that he understood without judging me or taking offense. "I guess he did. Maybe it was the piece he played for me when we first met, or maybe it was something else… but I just felt that he was the right person. We didn't bond right away, of course, but it didn't take long either. We just fit together that well. I can't speak for his true motives of choosing me, but I'm pretty sure the feeling was mutual."

He smiled as though he had me figured out now. "I'm guessing you decided to attend the academy to be more like Kami, right?"

"Of course!" I grinned back. It was an easy motive to see, but I wouldn't be where I was if it wasn't for my mother. Some would say I worshipped the ground she walked on, and I guess in a way I did, but that's not all it was. Out of everyone I knew, I just loved, admired, and respected her the most. "I want to be just like Mama! But I have to be myself too, obviously."

His smile widened as he noticed just how well the very mention of my mother seemed to work on me. "I'm flattered that you would trust me with this despite that we're not that well acquainted. I would have expected you to be more difficult about it than this."

I grabbed another cracker, happy again even after talking about my father. He may bring me down, but nothing raises me back up like Mama. "I guess you've proven to me how reliable and respectable you can actually be. I trust you with my well-being in battle, and now I feel I can trust you with personal life matters as well." I saw the look of pride on his face and shook my cracker at him. "Don't count yourself out of the dog house yet. I still don't know what you're like with women."

He held his arms out in inquiry, the grin evident on his face. "And this isn't enough for you? What about Patty and Liz?"

"They're your partners, they don't count, and we're just friends so that doesn't count either."

"Oh, come on, Maka, I'm doing the best I can here!"

"Nope, sorry, gotta see you in the dating world first."

"So there is still more I have to do, is there? What do you even look for in a guy anyway?"

I grinned and shoved the cracker into my mouth so that I didn't have to respond, signaling that there was nothing else to say on the matter. He took the hint with a responding grin and a shake of his head and sipped from his sunny delight.

A brief silence fell upon us again, and I watched his brain work as he thought of more questions he could ask, but I was pretty sure there was nothing left. He already knew my birthdate, where I lived, all about my family, al about my partner, and all that stuff. What else was there to ask? I half expected him to turn and tell me it was my turn, but then I saw the semi-somber expression back on his face and, though he hesitated again to say it, he hit me with something else that made me nearly choke on my cracker. "Maybe... Hm... I probably shouldn't be telling you anything, Father always said we didn't need to tell anyone and that it could bring catastrophe... however, there are things I know about you that you may not know about yourself."

I chugged the last of my raspberry tea to wash the cracker down and looked at him with surprise on my face. "...Wha-what kind of things?" I know, I shouldn't be surprised. He was the son of Lord Death, the guy that basically ruled the world. He took on missions even Spartoi was not authorized for, and he did them alone. He didn't even need to be in the DWMA, he just attended because he wanted to. Why would he not know things like that about his fellow students? But that wasn't the point. What surprised me was the fact that he was practically offering to share what he knew. He had better not be offering to butter me up again. Even if I can't kick your ass in a fight, Kid, I can still sure as hell try.

He seemed to be reading me again because I found his next words seems to respond to my thoughts like he was in my head again. "Don't worry, I'm not offering to get in your better graces. I know better. I'm offering because... well... I think you deserve to know."

I wanted to open my soul perception back up and read him, but I needed to learn to trust him a little more. As much as I suspected he merely did just want to earn my favor, I knew I was jumping the gun. Without even checking his soul, I could sense he was being honest with me. So I relaxed in my seat and met his gaze with a little more trust than I would normally give him. "Like what, Kid?"

"Like where your mother is now and the theory of where the power of your courage really comes from."

Well now he had my complete attention. I didn't need to let him know to go on. My soul did it for me. He just saw it and continued without my saying anything, and he knew exactly where to start.

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><p><strong>So how do you like it so far, hm? As I'm sure you noticed, <strong>**I briefly touch on a character of mine, Sasha, that I made for the series and kept as originals later because I liked her that much. I've got a few others up my sleeve that I'll mention later, as it all revolves around the SE mythology I've created. I basically rewrote everything XD. Sorry Author of SE.**

**Maybe I'll turn it into a story? I don't know, I've never finished any of my stories so for right now I'll just focus on finishing oneshots cause those are a lot easier to stick with ^^'. Maybe I'll make another oneshot of what their romantic life might be? Maybe I'll do a Black*Star and Maka oneshot. An idea of getting them together as a couple entered my head a while ago so I might do that, and maybe do more oneshots of details never touched on with other characters. Who wants to see Patty's more personal side? XD I think that would be fun, maybe I'll do one like that sometime.**

**Btw, I have no proof readers or betas so I edited this the best that I could, but there will still be errors in it. If you feel like helping an author out, don't be afraid to point out my mistakes to me and give me the sentence or paragraph its in so I can find it. And if your one of those people you thinks I could improve my writing, I don't mind pointers, just don't get all up in my grill. No aspiring author appreciates bullshit from trolls. If you want us to get better, try to leave nice critiques and sound like you know what your talking about k? I hope you liked it. Reviews help me out a lot, and don't just give me your praise, give me advice too! Everyone needs a little help here and there. ^_^**


	2. Kid

**Aaaaaaaand switching to Kid's POV now. Gonna try and make it a little less cynical and quirky than Maka. Tell me how it turns out, k? And just to warn you, I'm throwing some serious curveballs in here. See, I had a theory about Kid and Lord Death and… it kinda evolved into the giant world that I created in SE so I… kinda rewrote the whole SE world ^^'. It does create some interesting stuff though if you can stomach it… enjoy .**

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><p><strong>Part 2<strong>

I knew she would want to hear about her mother first. She idolized the woman so much, I couldn't just leave it for last. So that's where I started. "Well... Kami is currently staying in Greece right now."

Her whole face brightened. "Greece? She's finally reached it?"

"That's what I've heard. She's having a very pleasant stay and enjoying it for all its worth."

"That means her journeys nearly over... or at least that's what she told me would happen when she reached Greece..." She looked whole heartedly excited at the prospect, but then her expression fell into confusion "But... how do you know that? Does Lord Death keep tabs on her?"

"Well, partly." I answered honestly. Of course he would keep tabs on one of his star pupils. If his father ever needed her again or she got in trouble, he needed to know where she was at all times. But he was also good friends with Kami, and he kept in contact with her all the time. Those were not the only reasons he knew however. "The real reason is because she's visiting the other half of my family, all of whom live there."

"The other side of your family...?" I could see her soul radiating the excitement in bright waves as my words further ensnared her interest. Her eyes widened at the mention of more members to the Shinigami family. Not surprising as very few regular non-DWMA people –even students– knew it. Another secret of the family, though not quite so well kept as certain others. "I've always wondered about that. Everyone knows your father, but who is your mother?"

Now there was a sensitive topic, but I expected that. It's just... classified information. Well, actually it was more than that. I found myself unable to meet her gaze, instead substituting it with the one in her family photo. Any thoughts I previously had of organizing her mantel were gone now. I was too preoccupied with the conversation at hand. I just stared at the picture frame...

God, how I wished I could have a normal family like that sometimes... without the drama of course. That's not to say I wasn't happy with what I had though, I loved my family. However, there were those times were being a... deity if you could call me that –in my case it was more like a super mega rich kid of the world viewed as a spoiled brat by most– was a bit too much for me to bear. Everyone has moments like that, yes, but for me, it wasn't quite the same. "That's... kind of a tough question to answer. I'm honestly not certain if you would 'classify' her as my mother... but she did create me with my father, so… what else can she be?"

I felt the mood of her presence soften at my words, but the pang of curiosity still throbbed. "What do you mean? I know it's a god thing, but I'm sure I can at least catch the gist of it."

I sighed quietly. She seemed to catch on that it wasn't an easy thing to talk about and went quiet, allowing me to gather my thoughts. I was glad for her patience. I knew she wasn't watching my soul and I knew why, so she wouldn't see my thoughts, but I'm sure she could sense it all the same. She may be temperamental, easily flattered, and annoying sometimes, but she was smart, considerate, polite, and best of all she was pretty good at reading people even if she wasn't looking at their souls. All traits I would guess belonged to Kami since Spirit wasn't exactly all of those... except for the easily flattered, annoying, and the considerate parts. Spirit already knew of course, but his circumstances were special. Kami might suspect it but she had never been outwardly told. It was a secret we kept in the family for a very good reason. It was just that...

Well, it just wasn't something you told to humans. They usually didn't understand and the reactions varied greatly from too ignorant to think any different of me, to disrespectful, to resentfully ignoring me altogether, to outright violent against me. The point is that most just didn't get it and it made things very difficult. Its been that way since the beginning of Father's rule. Many of my friends and allies had abandoned me as a result. Some of the teachers of the DWMA, such as Maka's father and Professor Stein, were just a handful of the few that did understand. Liz and Patty had found out fairly early on and there had been no huge issues, so I knew 100% that I could trust them, and maybe certain members of Spartoi.

But even so, it was still a difficult topic to touch on, so I never mention it to anyone. Ingrained habits from family and bad experiences are hard to kick. But maybe telling Maka wasn't such a bad idea. We already trust the other members of her family, and if she could be honest with me on a subject sensitive with her, I could give her the benefit of the doubt.

But still that little voice in my head urged me to avoid the topic. I tore my gaze away from the picture and forced myself to meet her gaze again as I gave her the only warning I could give. She deserved at least that much. "...Are you sure you want to know? Maka... I don't want to ruin what we have or what could be between us. I... don't usually tell people this, as humans tend to be... well, different around me when they hear it. I prefer to fit in as though I'm as human as they are. I don't want people to follow me because I'm a god or scoff at my name because I'm not, and I don't want servants." As I spoke, my gaze slowly drifted from hers and I found myself staring down at my feet, feeling shame for doubting her yet unable to stop feeling suspicious of her. "I want them to follow me because they trust me, because they value me as a friend and a person, not because of my heritage. I just want to be a part of the world my father built like any other human being, even if I'm not one of them." Curse my habits. Why can't I just let myself trust her?

I felt the wavelength of her soul scrutinize me with a gentle scorn for just the same thing. "Kid. Seriously. You really believe that I'll think differently of you if you were to tell me your, for example, perfectly human or a lot older than 14? Come on, Kid. Put some faith in me. We've been friends long enough and I've already seen some screwed up shit throughout my time in the DWMA. This isn't going to change my opinion of you."

Just hearing that was enough to calm my anxious heart, but my mind still wouldn't settle. So I asked again. I needed to be absolutely certain for my own peace of mind. "...Are you sure?"

I watched the little wings of her tiny soul unfold and flutter forward as if to embrace me protectively and knew immediately that she was more willing to listen than I had anticipated. "You forget who you're talking to. This is Death City, my hometown, remember? I'll never be as strong as you and Black*Star, but I'm still the first one of us to make a Death Scythe and I still have my Mama's Demon Slayer wavelength. I'm aware that gods are very different from humans and that you'll tell me things I never thought were possible. I'm prepared for that." I engaged her gaze with mine as she spoke and was met with that determined iron resolve and a gentle smirk that I'm so familiar with now. "Thing is I trust you, Kid. We all do. God or not, no matter what you tell me or what happens afterwards, your still our friend. So hit me with your best shot."

I stared back at her for a long moment, letting these words sink in and put me at ease. She gazed back at me, willing me to chill out and take the leap of faith with her. So I sighed, leaned forward in my seat, and took it.

"I'm... kind of unique." I replied after a moment of silence. She waited very patiently for me to go on. Even though the shine in her soul was still there, I felt no pressure. She could be a harsh judge, but she knew that there was a time for judgment and a time when you just had to sit back and take a neutral perspective. I was grateful for that. "It's a long story, so... guess I should start with explaining what my dad is."

She gave me a confused look as though she'd never thought of my father as anything more than what people usually thought of him: A Shinigami, a God of Death, a God in general. To the students, he was also the guy who kept the world in balance, the ultimate authority figure. To her, he was the World Ruler that her parents worked for. She considered him a part of the family in a way as far as I could tell. Whenever she thought of or saw him, there was a flicker in her soul that spoke of familial attachment. But even she never second thought what he might really be. This could be tough... I wish there was an easier way to say it, but there just isn't.

Well, here it goes.

"You see... he's not actually a god, per se, as everyone thinks he is."

I saw the incredulous expression on her face and hurried on. I didn't want the reaction which resulted in the human no longer respecting the one they followed.

"He _is_ a Shinigami though, we both are. It's just that Shinigami are not... well, death _gods_, as everyone thinks. That's just an ancient word they came up with to call us long ago. In Father's case, as he is a true Shinigami, he is actually more like a being that is god-like but less than divine. Like a demigod, a half-god, a divine death spirit, but on the mortal scale, like a higher level of superhuman. You see, divine beings like gods cannot be killed or harmed. Father can. That's not to say that he's not divine in a way though. He still did all those remarkable things that saved this world. Its just that his power, however impressive it might be, is not truly on the god scale. It's actually more superhuman than godly. It just seems that way because no human can possess as much as he does. In reality, gods are far, far more powerful than can be comprehended by the human mind. In the end, Father is merely an ultrahuman with power over death, not a god."

Unlike most others, Maka willingly listened to my explanation, drinking my words in and taking it all into perspective as calmly as she could. I'm glad she let me get everything out without making a fuss and interrupting me. Others would inevitably get upset and not want to hear anymore, so they would jump the gun and get on the angry betrayed follower band wagon like the fact that their leader was not who they thought he was somehow ruined all the good he had done. That was the problem with people who worshipped Father and the reason the DWMA made the effort to beat blind faith out of its students. They wanted guidelines and solid ground under their feet, even though they believed in something that wasn't there, and so when someone undermines that mindset, the tiniest insult, the smallest inkling that something is wrong with their beliefs, they fell out of line like ants and become hostile to the party they deem offensive.

But then there were people like Maka, who patiently sat by and let me finish to the end until she was sure she understood, and then let it sink in before she would let herself react. Even though I was fidgeting in my seat, trying to distract myself with that old symmetry obsession, nervous about what she would say, trying not to watch the thought processes going on in her wavelength... I can't tell you how glad I was for her patience.

Eventually, after she had thoroughly thought it through, she looked up at me with those big, honest, fern green eyes, and with just a gaze, let me know that she was just fine with what I had said. "Somehow I'm not surprised. Mama and I always thought it was a little farfetched to call Lord Death a god. He just seems far too human."

I breathed so deeply in relief that I think I almost passed out. I know, what was I so nervous about? It was just Maka, of course she would react this way. It was probably her family ties with my father more than anything though. I've come across people like her who seemed trustworthy before and instantly turned on me the minute I said anything. So you can imagine how I felt once she assuaged my fears... but we weren't out of the dog house yet. There was still a chance she could react badly the more the idea built up in her mind. Only time would tell. "I'm glad someone understands. But maybe that's just the DWMA beatings speaking through both of you."

She grinned easily, somehow completely unfazed by how 'sabotaging' my story was. "What can I say? Mama and I were always oddballs. Even Papa always said so. Speaking of him, does Papa know? I get the feeling this isn't something many people know about in the open."

I had to smile. I still felt a little nervous about what might happen later, but for now, I felt at ease. "Yes, of course he knows. They couldn't resonate as well as they do if he didn't and still felt devotion to him as a leader and meister."

"I thought as much." She said as she leaned forward and grabbed what was left of the crackers, taking a thoughtful sip of her tea before she spoke again. "But Papa can be such an idiot sometimes. I know he's the most powerful Death Scythe there is, Soul and I still have a long ways to go... but the idea that he could accept such a story so easily makes me wonder if my foundations on his pig-headedness are wrong."

I had to chuckle. If this story actually brought a family together again, I would be so surprised I'd have to tell the world about it just to see what happens. Could the reason that people reacted badly be because we were being too secretive about it? "Heh, well I don't know. A guy can be a better man than you first believed and still be pig-headed at the same time. It's just the way the world works. Maybe you should give him just a little more credit."

I watched her go silent as it sank into her head, then stood up murmuring a "be right back" and disappeared into the kitchen for a refill, and also to give her a little private space to think.

As I opened the fridge and spotted the yellow-orange container, I remembered Soul telling me how much he loves his orange-peach sunny delight. Upon first taste, I understood why. Hope he wouldn't mind me taking a little more. I took a long refreshing swing, calming my pulsing nerves, then leisurely returned to my seat and saw that she was still working her thoughts around the idea that her father may not be such a bad guy after all. I tried not to laugh. She seemed to be really struggling with it. She had probably been living with this issue for so long that having it derailed like this was crippling her thought processes a little.

But she was strong, and she had a hell of a support beam under her in the form of friends, family, allies, and colleagues. I'm sure she could manage to figure it out.

She looked up at me as I came back, her eyes glancing at my glass as she undoubtedly noted that I had more of Soul's sunny delight, probably calculating how much was left and if she should get more before her partner returned home, and watched me sit down with a calm expression that made me wonder just how calm she was on the inside right now. "Maybe your right... but I bet Mama won't feel the same way." Her tone as she spoke up first was even softer than her expression. That confirmed my suspicions that she was still working on the conflict, and I instantly recognized the hidden plea for my opinion, even without looking at her wavelength.

I shrugged as I took a sip of my new refill. "And what if she does? I know you idolize her, but you did say you wanted to be your own person too. You shouldn't let what happened between your parents come between the bond of a father and daughter... even if he is pig-headed... He does love you, Maka. I'm sure you know that. It's ok to let yourself feel the way you want to about him. As you said, he's your father. I admit, he's a bit... weird sometimes... but he is a good person, and he does deserve the love of his daughter to a degree. I think you can see that now."

She didn't reply, but there was no need to say anything else on the matter. I'm not sure what kind of effect my words had on her, I could still see it swimming around her head as were many other things, but I hoped it would help her come to a conclusion eventually. She seemed a little more at ease now at least. No doubt she would be discussing it with Soul tonight though. She looked at me then, her gaze much softer than it had been all night, and nodded as if gesturing me to continue with my own story. "So a Shinigami is not really a god, hm? So then I have to ask... how did he do all the things he did?"

I gave her a gentle smile and set my drink down. "That's where my 'mother' comes in. This is another thing we don't tell humans often, as they don't usually react very well to it. The only other humans I've told are Patty and Liz, so... I guess I'll make a third exception. You see... this world was not always like this."

She gave me a blank stare and I knew I needed to elaborate. But how do I explain it? Mother had shown me once in her mirrors of time, but I didn't have any godly power to help me. I had only words to give Maka, which severely limited the impact of first seeing the world before this one. How best to show it to her...? Wait...

Paper scrying.

I jumped from my seat, nearly knocking the coffee table over and scaring the hell out of her. I quickly apologized and continued on my way to search for a clean sheet of white paper and a pencil or something to write with.

"Whoa, whoa, Kid, what the hell are you doing?" She panicked as she watched me tear apart her dorm room in a very orthodox manner, without actually tearing it apart and organizing as I went. No need to not fix things as I went, some places in here really needed the touch up.

I turned to her, my eyes excited. "Pencil. Paper. Scrying."

"Wh-Wha-?" I pushed her before she could ask. She took the hint and hurried into her room to grab what I requested and bring it to me back in the living room. "Mind telling me what this is about?"

"You'll see. If I can do it that is..." I kneeled at the coffee table and immediately started sketching the world my mother had shown me.

She watched me work very diligently over my shoulder, every stroke of the pencil graceful, elaborate, and as symmetrically perfect as I could get it. As much as it pained me, I had to leave that touch of imperfection that made the world before this one so much more beautiful than what my father had made. Yes I know. How could I think of an imperfect world as beautiful? Well... it was the balance. Imperfect symmetry can be made up for in perfect balance and harmony in the function of a thing or ecosystem. I did my damned hardest to capture that, but art was only an imitation of the real thing. Only the best artists in the world could recreate the reality of something they saw. So I spent at least two hours trying to put in as much perfect detail as possible, with Maka watching me the whole time. I couldn't color anything in, but I didn't need to. I just had to be sure it was shaded well. Once I was finished, I sat back and admired, critiqued, and edited, until I was sure it was perfect and done.

"Uh... Kid...?"

"Hang on." I stood up and kept her behind me so that she would be protected if anything went wrong. "I'm gonna try something, but there's no guarantee it'll work because of how young I am. My mother taught me how to do this, and so far I've only be able to do it once. Just stay behind me where it's safest, ok? Here goes attempt number one..."

I felt her trying to lean forward to see, her hands on my shoulders for balance, but she stayed where she was, so I ignored her for the moment and concentrated. I took a breath and counted to twenty, letting each number take me deep into a kind of meditative trance one notch at a time.

But immediately after I reached five, my concentration broke itself, and I almost fell into Maka from the force of it. "Dammit..."

She caught me and held me up. "You ok? What happened?"

"Attempt number one failed." I said, my breath slightly labored. I wanted to try again immediately but I needed to rest. I needed my full energy reserves for this to work. So I gave myself a few minutes, and once I was ready again, I made attempt number two. That failed at ten. I tried once more and got to eight before it failed a third time. "Shit..."

"What's wrong?" She asked as she supported me from behind once again.

"I... I guess I can't do it. Once was all I'm going to get." I sighed in defeat and took my weight off her as I stood straight. I turned to sit down in dismay, but she grabbed me and forced me to stand back in my spot.

"Well don't give up yet, you only tried three times."

"Maka, it doesn't work like that-"

"I'm serious, don't you dare give up now." I fell silent at the force in her voice. Now that I think about it, she wasn't the type to just give in, was she? "In fact..."

I felt the wings of her soul unfurl again as she offered me a resonance link. "Maka, I don't think that's a good idea."

"Do you want it to work or not?" She demanded, and when I was silent, she didn't hesitate to nearly force the link into me. "Then shut up and accept me."

So I did. With some hesitation, I accepted her link. One tiny graze of each other's wavelengths created a serious of sparks that grew into a fusion of our souls together. Wow, this is weird... We've never resonated just the two of us as meisters before, not even for battle. We always had our weapons or Black*Star and Tsubaki involved. It felt so strange to feel just her as we blended together. She was a hell of a lot stronger than I first thought, and that demon slayer wavelength really packed a punch, even by itself. I can only image what it feels like with Soul's power enhancing it. Mine alone made it flare until it engulfed the whole dormitory apartment room, and that wasn't even the max of our power. I hoped our partners wouldn't mind, or that when people felt this they didn't think... well I just hoped they wouldn't think something stupid.

I felt her max herself out against me and realized just how much power she had by herself. I didn't need to max myself out against her, it would happen gradually as I made attempt number four.

"Now... try again." She challenged me. So I did... And it failed at 15 this time. That was both our fault. She had no idea of what I needed to do which sabotaged my effort, and I heard her murmur an apology. This time, it also had a lot of impact on both of us. But still she refused to let me give in. "You're trying to make it absolutely perfect when it isn't, Kid. Try it another way. We need it to be balanced, not perfectly symmetrical. Now one more time, go, you lead this time."

She was right. So I tried again, slowing down this time so that she could figure it out and follow me. We both straightened and she fell into the trance with me as I breathed and concentrated, starting the countdown one last time.

1... 2... 3... 4... 5...

My breath slowed to a deep rhythm, my hands held up palms down over the sketch I just made. I had to concentrate on what my mother had shown me and will it to become real.

Her extra power supported my efforts and carried me to the next stage so that I didn't need to work quite as hard. I hadn't realized just how pleasant it was to feel her wavelength as support…

6... 7... 8... 9... 10...

Let the paper become a mirror reflecting what was in my mind... let the world turn to reality and flow from inside the mirror and into the room around us...

I felt that familiar tingle as the magic of the blood in my veins began to take control and make my skin glow a faint deep blue. She couldn't go any further. Her support stopped there and let me do the rest. The only thing she could do now was give me the best support she could, reminding me the whole way there that it didn't need to be perfect.

11... 12... 13... 14... 15...

It's filling the room now, surrounding us in what was once real, a mirror of a reality long ago.

Dark green foliage, rich brown soil, clear crystal waters, a bright gold sphere of light high in the sky, shining proudly like a star upon the land, spreading its golden rays of life in the day time... a dark clear night lit only thousands of stars and a beautiful silver moon, letting the gentle light it borrowed from its brighter predecessor spread across the sleeping ground... a great sea filled with undiscovered secrets and animals unknown, fauna that stalked the land as the web of life still went on now... a great civilization worldwide, not quite as magnificent as the one now, but far more beautiful and eco-friendly in all its primordial glory... the people and their foreign languages all around the world with smiling faces surrounded by fertile and safe lands, their clothes flowing and primal... statues of the gods that once lived in this world...

The tingle gradually grew into a full blown kind of resonance with the image in my mind and the one on the piece of paper, making it pop from the page and into the room. I faintly recognized the sound of Maka gasping in shock as the image came to life around us, but I ignored it knowing that she was safe as long as she was close and stayed behind me.

16... 17... 18... 19... 20

The end of the countdown. I breathed it deep again and let go, letting the power in me fuel the image around us with her wavelength supporting mine, and we both found ourselves in the illusion I'd created.

I... no... we did it.

"This is the world that came before the one we were born into, the one my father created." I said as I watched her gaze flicker around in astonishment at the beauty of the world around her. I knew just how she felt, and being connected to her as I was now, I could feel it affected her much more than it had me the first time.

It was an amazing world to look at. The cycle of night and day was on speed dial, day turning to night every few minutes, but all the same, it was breathtaking. It was only my second time seeing it, but the fact that I'd managed to create it just as it was when my mother showed it to me made it all the more beautiful to me. It wasn't going to last long as our power compared to my mother's was merely a tiny drip in the river, but it was enough to make us both star struck.

"This...?" was all she managed to say in response to me. She drank it all in hungrily, too amazed to speak what her thoughts were screaming. I felt her soul pulse radiantly with the shock of the moment...

And then, frail as the image was, it broke and faded back into her dorm room. That was all we managed to get, but it was enough. Gradually we powered down our souls and gently pulled out of the link. Plopping down in our designated seats in silence, we both stared into space as our minds reeled from the experience, trying to pull calm our nerves and pull ourselves back down to the ground. Though we were separate again, I could feel her soul screaming in a turbulent mix of excitement, utter confusion, and apprehension that she had resonated alone with me. I don't blame you, Maka. I'm feeling about the same right now, except I think I was happier about succeeding in paper scrying a second time. Of course I'd had her help, but I still did it, and I felt closer to her now than before.

I saw her thoughts begin to reorganize again until it formed a question, and she looked at me directly before she asked. "What happened to that world, Kid?"

My glee of success faded as she asked the question. The answer to that was not an easy one to hear, but I couldn't deny her after what I'd just shown her. "...It was destroyed."

Despair entered her green eyes, but it seems she expected such an answer. "How? Who would destroy something so beautiful?"

"A very powerful goddess." Her gaze beckoned me to continue. So it seems I have no choice but to reveal another very well kept secret. "Maka... what I'm about to tell you will come as a hell of a shock, so try not to freak out at me ok? We usually never disclose this to anyone because we don't want mass panic. If people knew, there would be chaos and the public would stop listening to us. We're only trying to keep them safe, and this is the best way to do it. Do you understand?"

She stared back at me, mentally preparing herself for the worst, before she tentatively nodded at me.

I took a breath and prepared myself to tell her. It was true that we never ever told this to people, so I was basically breaking a serious rule here... but something tells me she might find out sooner or later anyway, as a few other students have in the past already. "Try to be calm about this, it's not easy to take in, but... Asura... is actually not the first demon god to exist."

"WHAT?" Well so much for calm and easy, but I expected that. "Are fucking telling me there are others out there?"

"No, god no! The others are all long taken care of."

"Why are they always calling him the first then?"

"Because the others were all corrupted gods. Asura is the very first corrupted humans." I said as calmly as I could. "Gods take care of their business and humans take care of theirs, and only when its necessary do they join forces. That's the way it's always been. There are no more gods now to corrupt, but there are plenty of humans. That's why my father created the DWMA in the first place, to make sure no humans become demon gods. I promise we'll be fine, no one has ever come close to Asura. That is the reality now, so we just need to keep doing what we're doing and we'll always stay fine."

I could see her head spinning with this realization. She bent curled into the chair and clutched at her hair as anxiety took over. I didn't need her to freak out, so I reached out to her soul with mine to help assuage the fear making her wavelength tremble so violently. "You see now why we never tell people this?"

She nodded and swallowed hard. She let herself fall into the security I was offering until she was able to calm herself down. "How... how did this happen...?"

"Well... there's actually a pretty good explanation for that..." She met my amber gaze questioningly. I hesitated, unsure of whether she was in the right state of mind to hear the tale, but I decided it was better that she get the full story now rather than later. So I told her the story of Mania, the mother goddess of madness, insanity in its purest form, at whose name every god trembled. "The world you saw was what was made after she existed. It was far more beautiful than that at one time. Mania was born a goddess with the power to infect man, beast, spirit, and god alike. I hear she was fearless and short tempered, and her power was greater than most as she was born to the two most powerful primordial elder gods. Though her powers were difficult to control, she learned to control then at an early godling age, which made her extremely dangerous. She once went to the council of gods and demanded a position, but she was denied because they feared what she would do with her power."

"...And she destroyed everything?"

"Not quite... she went stereotypical villain and took over the world. The sad part is that none were strong enough to stand in her way, and so, when she unleashed her power, it seeped into the crevices of reality, creating a deep orange and pure white world of pure chaos. She did as she pleased, controlled the minds of every creature, created her own manner of beasts, and what today is referred to as Lyssa crept into the essence of all living things, tainting everything down to the soil and even the rocks. She made the universe her playground and ruled for many millennia like that, well into the age of man. But, very slowly and surely, this reality she created began to break. Eventually, her power became too great even for her, and she became a victim to herself. The world knew true chaos then. That was when the world suffered the most, until her power and all her own creations destroyed her. The gods regained their senses then and immediately went to work to put the world back together, and managed to create the world I just showed you."

Event after I told her the events, she still looked uneasy, and I'm sure she knew exactly what I was about to tell her next.

"But even then..." I went on, "Because she had ruled for so long and her power was so great, the madness of her rule remains, tainting the once pure world. Though her body may be gone, a god is deathless and invulnerable, so her power, her spirit, and her will still live on. The pieces of the reality she left behind could not be destroyed as a result, so all the gods could do was toss it into the deepest pit of hell. Even then, madness still exists because of her, the abomination goddess, and so it will never go away. It infected many gods in those days when it was still very strong, and those many volatile battles have destroyed that beautiful world you saw. The very last one happened as gods developed immunity to the madness, and my father, with the help of my mother and the other remaining deities, was able to save mankind by remaking the world... but the madness was so strong that he had to create a world like this one, because the beauty of what it once was would make them destroy themselves. In order to make them feel safe and follow him so that they stay that way, he had to create the world in his image. That's why the world looks the way it does today."

She looked calmer on the outside now, but it still felt like she was in turmoil on the inside. Well I had something to say that might change that.

"Mania's Taint still exists even here, so you can always blame the madness on her, but it's not as strong as it used to be, and so humans are now developing the immunity that gods have, and immunity that you possess. That's why you, your mother, and those few meisters and weapons of Russia who have the demon slayer wavelength are so important, Maka. You can fight the Taint and free those ensnared in it the way you did for Chrona. Your courage will be the deciding factor in whether we defeat Asura or not. You hold the hope for a better future."

Well as it turns out, it looks like I just laid more pressure on her. Now it seems she's in even more turmoil as she tries to let my words settle without the discomfort of knowing everything is riding on her. Oops... Sorry, Maka, I'm doing my best here. "Why did she even exist in the first place...?" I heard her say, and the soft tone of her voice scared me a little.

It was a fair enough question, one I'd once asked my mother when I first found out this truth. She words had been cryptic as always, but I think I understood what she meant now. "That's... a tough one to answer as well. A god is born when there is a need for something in the world. When it comes down to insanity... my mother told me it's because the universe was just too bored with itself, like a teenager whose been isolated all his life and doesn't know any better, so he does some crazy things, gets in serious trouble, and digs himself into a hole he can't climb out of trying to save himself. Eventually he realizes what he needs to do, sacrifices something important, learns some things, and finally manages to get himself out of trouble, but is forever scarred from the experience."

"You make it sound so positive..."

"Well, that's the best way to describe the way the abomination goddess came into being and power. The universe works the same ways we do in that sense."

We fell into silence for a long moment as I watched her try to cope with everything she just heard, and I squirmed in guilt for piling it all on her. I guess there really was a reason for never telling anyone, and I get the feeling it should have stayed that way even with Maka. This could ruin everything...

But then something came to me. I knew a way to make this better. Or at least I hoped it was. What was there to lose? "Did you know my father is actually married?" This was also a pretty well-kept secret, and when people found out, it was usually an instant shocker with a nose-spray effect. No one could seem to imagine my father being a lady's man I guess.

Not as I'd hoped, it didn't though her completely off the conflicted path she was on now, but it did make her look up at me with a curious glint in her defeated eyes.

"Yep, and even though he's only around 300,000-800,000 years old, he's married to one of the oldest and most powerful goddesses there are left." I couldn't stop a small smile at her growing look of shock. "It's true, I'm not kidding. He's married to the Lady Themis, elder oracular goddess of The Law of Nature, Divine Justice, The Flow of Time, and Custom. My mother as we may call her."

"How old is she?"

"About a googleplex, the oldest any deity has ever been, way past the retiring age in fact."

"SHIT THAT'S OLD-wait... doesn't that mean your mother is a cougar?"

For a second I stared at her, not sure how to react. But then it just hit me and I burst out laughing. As absurd as it was to think about, it was true in human terms. Now _that_ is hysterical. "My god, your right, she is! Oh man, I've never thought of it like that before!"

She blushed as if she felt she'd said something wrong. "Sorry... I guess goddesses aren't picky."

Once my laughter began to fade and I was able to gather myself, I replied with: "Well, they don't have to be. For divinities, blood, age, race, gender, and whether you have a partner or not, none of that matters. Those are human flaws in reproduction, so they don't need to worry about those."

"Oh..." The throb of curiosity seemed to be returning, and she looked at me with a calmer expression as she asked her next question. "Tell me about your family... Or can you?"

I chuckled, all to glad that I was able to pull her out of the turmoil, at least for a moment. "I already broke a huge rule, might as well keep going. Wanna know how I was created?" She nodded and I went on. "Well, I did say I was unique, which means I wasn't born the normal way. When gods have children, they have about three options. They can do it the human way, they can simply clone themselves, or they can go to the Oasis of life which holds water of pure life essence, and there they receive an egg, which will later hatch into an animal reminiscent of the gender and element the godling will later take on as it starts to become human. I, however, am a clone."

"A clone of Lord Death?"

"Exactly. See... Shinigami are unique beings. Like the phoenix of myth, there can only be one of them at a time, which tells you I'm not a true Shinigami yet. So my father's been around for a long time, as I told you, whereas I'm only about 312-years-old." I got a look of shock there and I smiled, knowing she would react that way. Everyone who assumed I was 14 did. "Yeah I know, I look 14, but no, I'm 312. See, around the time when my father gathered his eight elite warriors 800 years ago, after he married my mother, he started to realize he needed an heir. So Themis, my mother, lent him the magic in her blood, ichor, which gods use to clone themselves, to clone himself with, creating me from both of them. I look exactly like my father, but I have some of my mother's power as a result."

"Wow... now I see what you mean by unique..."

I nodded, a bit somber now that I think about my own life story. "Yes... it's been... troublesome, knowing that I'm my father's heir yet feeling the call to my mother's side. I'll never have the power to rule her position, but I never get to see her much either... it's confusing never knowing just what to call myself." I stared into what remained of my refill, trying to decide with a distracted mind whether to chug the rest of it for save it.

She seemed to notice this, because she asked me something that brought the smile back to my face. "Tell me... about your mother. What is she like?"

I could feel the serenity wash over me as I thought of her face. I'm sure Maka noticed it. Thoughts of my mother always calmed me down and filled me with a tranquility that she just naturally brought to me. I don't know what it is... maybe it's just because she's a part of me. I may be a clone of my father, but was her blood that gave me life. I was just as much a clone of her as I was of him. Either that... or it was because her power had that effect on anyone who knew her.

"She's... very old, wise and powerful, but very kind and gentle. She runs her own organization made of demon demi-goddesses called Furies which keeps the universe in balance while the DWMA keeps the human world in balance. The only difference is that hers is secret because Father needs to stay in power. Her position is important because she makes sure the timeline is smooth, so she's always watching it through her three mirrors of time. In that way, she sees and knows all, and I'm sure she's watching us right now. She often lends her knowledge to my Father when she sees it necessary, we just never know it. Like my father, she can't leave her mirrors, or at least not for long, and so they can only meet each together through the reflective realm, but somehow their love always stays strong. Who would have thought an ultrahuman and a super elder goddess? And well... if I didn't get it from my father, I certainly got my obsession with symmetry from her."

I saw her manage a smile. "And now I know how to make _your_ day. She's sounds pretty amazing, even for a goddess. Think I'll get to meet her one day?"

I smiled back. "Well, my birthday _is_ coming up in a few weeks, and my mother is planning to celebrate it where she is. That and Kami plans to stay to celebrate it with us and I want to bring everyone in the DWMA, so don't even ask if you're invited because I want you there."

"You couldn't stop me from going even if you didn't want me." She grinned at me. "So! Any siblings?"

"Three brothers and eleven sisters, one half-sister, one twin, one our mother's Heir, three nieces, and only four out of those fourteen are actually born of the union of my parents together. The rest are clones of my mother. My twin and I are the youngest, and so we're the most... intense... or so they tell me, which means it'll calm down someday."

She almost nose sprayed her tea. "ELEVEN sisters? Fuck me in a damn bag of potatoes, what is with the lack of the male gene in your family?"

I couldn't stop laughing. "That's a question only my parents can answer."

"Do Liz and Patty know all this?"

"Indirectly, yes."

"Indirectly how?"

"Indirectly as in I didn't tell them everything, they found it out or got me to come out with it. They've met two of my sisters, one of my brothers, and all of my nieces already."

"I'm guessing they got answers from them?"

"In a nutshell, more or less."

"Ok, one last question."

"Hit me with your best shot." I grinned, imitating her from earlier.

She smiled brightly. "Am I allowed to tell Soul any of this?"

My grin faded as I thought about it, but I couldn't deprive her of letting her partner know what was going on. They needed to be able to resonate well ,and they couldn't do that if one of them was being forced to keep huge secrets that are weighing on their minds. So I nodded. "But no one else, ok? We don't need anyone loudmouthed to go spreading things around."

"I understand. Only Soul. I won't even tell Sasha."

"Good." My smile returned as I drank the last of Soul's sunny delight.

A sound like a click filled the air and we turned to see the door open to reveal Soul with Blair sprawled happily across his shoulders. He raised a brow at the unlikely duo and it seemed he was questioning just what was going on here. I had to chuckle at him.

"And just what is going on here?" The demon scythe asked as he closed the door behind himself.

"Just getting better acquainted is all." Maka replied as he took off his shoes at the door and walked in.

"And ate all the damn crackers I see." Maka giggled as he grabbed the plate and took it to the kitchen.

Blair jumped from his shoulders and landed with grace on the table as she looked up at Maka and I with curious cat eyes. "Hmmm, seems more to me like you're getting... _closer_." He gave a cat-like snicker and Maka blushed at the implications of her words.

"We are not! Shut up you stupid cat!"

"Teehee, then tell me why you're sitting here all alone together, hm?"

I shook my head at the cat witch. "It's not like that, we're solidifying are friendship. That's all. It was my idea so I thought I'd drop by."

"Oh, I see! So the Shinigami has eyes for the girl with the demon slayer wavelength, huh? Pretty ambitious, you two would make a cute couple." Blair giggled, and Maka immediately grabbed for her, making her give a cat-like cry of distress that no one paid attention to as she was mauled in punishment.

Soul came back into the room and saw the drawing on the table. "What's this? It's pretty good whichever one of you drew it and I know it's not Maka because hers always look like a kindergartener did it." He received one hell of a glare from Maka as he said this.

I grinned openly. "Thanks. Just a little sketch I decided to do while I was here."

"Speaking of which, why are you here? Liz and Patty called have been looking for you. They contacted me and said you weren't answering the phone."

"Hey, they abandoned me first. I just decided Maka was the better company, and it seems I was right. She let me organize your kitchen."

"Oh GOD, Maka! Seriously!"

Both Blair and I burst out laughing as they went into one of their usual harmless banters. I should probably get home soon, by Patty and Liz could wait for a while. I want to see if I can paint a better image of Soul now.

* * *

><p><strong>So… yeah… sorry I got a bit lazy at the end and I forgot somethings I meant to put in there... grrr, I'll have to edit it later *too tired to keep going and not feeling well<strong>*****

**I tried not to get too into the god world… I'll explain all that in a follow up of the party and reunion with her mother where Maka meets Kid's family and Themis explains everything for us. For those who are interested, look for it in the future… if I get to it ^^'. Not even sure what I'm gonna do with it yet... So we'll see, and I'll be sure to edit this later, I promise. I'm just not up for it now... worked way too hard and it feels like i'm gonna hate it later so... again, we'll see.**

**Anyways, I do hope you've enjoyed this. Let me know what you think. Too crazy? Not crazy enough? Nice and in between for you? Are you confused? Well GOOD 8D. Review and let me now if you feel the need.**


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